Bournemouth Opinion: Marcus Tavernier could be the next youngster to thrive at the south coast
According to the Daily Mail, Bournemouth are interested in securing the services of Middlesbrough winger Marcus Tavernier in the summer, with manager Eddie Howe looking to find a replacement for star man Ryan Fraser.
Fraser, who has contributed with 7 goals and 13 assists in the Premier League this season, is the subject of interest from Arsenal, Newcastle United and a host of other Premier League clubs in the summer, the Daily Mail understands.
The 25-year-old has just more than a year remaining on his current contract and the Cherries might be forced to cash in on him to avoid losing him for free in the near future.
Marcus, Tavernier, who is the younger brother of Rangers skipper James Tavernier, has made just a couple of starts for Middlesbrough in the Championship this season but the England youth international has apparently shown enough promise to convince Bournemouth that he is capable of challenging for a first-team role in the foreseeable future.
Born in Leeds, England, Tavernier started his career at Newcastle United before joining Middlesbrough’s youth academy back in 2013. He featured regularly for the club at all youth and reserve levels before making his Championship bow last season. The 20-year-old has made a total of 23 appearances in the Championship over the course of two seasons and has scored on 4 occasions, though only 6 of those appearances have come as starts.
To put things into perspective, Marcus Tavernier is still very young and raw in his edges to replace someone as creative as Ryan Fraser. It would be hard to expect a player who has not yet made a big impact in the Championship to make the step up to the Premier League. Nevertheless, Tavernier is a really talented player, who has the potential to develop into a potent winger in the days to come, and Bournemouth should look at him as a long-term investment.
Essentially a left-winger by trade, Tavernier is also capable of playing in a more central role in the midfield. Blessed with a wonderful left foot, the youngster combines his lightning pace with his bagful of trickery and acceleration to cut inside from the flanks.
The English prodigy likes to play with a sense of directness and conviction and often manages to put his team on the front foot after coming off the bench. The fact that he has already accumulated 12 caps for the Three Lions at the U-19 and U-20 levels clearly indicates that he is rated very highly across the nation.
Bournemouth have shown an inclination to bring in talented English youngsters from the Championship in the last few years and the Cherries have had plenty of success with such a policy in the transfer window. Lewis Cook, David Brooks, Chris Mepham are amongst those to have arrived on the south coast in recent times and Eddie Howe has managed to extract the best out of them, as he continues to build a strong core of homegrown talents at the Vitality Stadium.
To Read More Bournemouth News, Click Here:- Latest Bournemouth News
Marcus Tavernier is one of the emerging talents in the Championship and Bournemouth could have another gem in their hands if they manage to strike a deal for the promising 20-year-old in the summer.
